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51 ART ACROSS THE STATE In recent years, Henri van Noordenburg and Terry Deen have been on the road travelling across Queensland to bring contemporary art to regional audiences. As the Gallery’s Regional Services Project Officer and Head of Learning respectively, van Noordenburg and Deen work closely with Queensland’s network of regional galleries and community centres to deliver exhibitions, workshops and public programs across the state. Initiatives include regional touring exhibitions derived from the Gallery’s Collection; an annual Kids on Tour program that takes activities from the Children’s Art Centre to over 100 venues across Queensland and the Torres Strait; Art as Exchange workshops designed to strengthen connections between artists and arts workers in regional communities; and a Regional Internship Program for arts workers, held each year at the Gallery. Many insights have been gained and meaningful conversations had while flying or driving across the vast Queensland state. ‘It’s about getting out of the office, meeting people, learning from the regions and sharing our knowledge,’ says Deen. ‘Just driving and chatting has led to some really meaningful ideas on the back of meeting people and understanding the economic, environmental and social challenges. When we get back and we’re talking about upcoming exhibitions and future programs, we’re truly informed and making well-thought-out decisions.’ It was on one of these drives that van Noordenburg was struck with the idea to create a touring exhibition that could reach more regional galleries. ‘For the majority of our work, we can only send artworks to galleries with the right lighting and climate control,’ he says. ‘We needed to find a different way of working and incorporating art to allow these venues to be part of our tours.’ With that in mind, the Gallery’s ‘Physical Video’ exhibition, which exclusively featured video works from the Collection, was adapted for a two-year tour that wrapped up in August 2020. Including works by artists such as James Oram, Angela Tiatia, Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba and Donghee Koo, the exhibition toured 11 galleries in Gatton, Biloela, Cairns, Tambo, Chinchilla, Stanthorpe, Logan, Hervey Bay, Gympie, Beaudesert and Cooroy. Meanwhile, two major touring exhibitions — Robert MacPherson’s ‘BOSS DROVERS’ and Patricia Piccinini’s ‘Curious Affection’ — are bringing works by two of Australia’s most acclaimed contemporary artists to more than 15 regional galleries across the state. On the map are Miles, Logan, Mackay, Townsville, Toowoomba, Redlands, Gympie, Caboolture, Mount Isa, Charleville, Warwick, Cairns, Redcliffe and more. Each regional tour runs for up to three years and two new exhibitions are due to begin in 2021. ‘Bringing these works to regional Queensland is quite amazing,’ says van Noordenburg. Adaptations to the original exhibitions need to be made for the tours and draw on the Gallery’s world-leading expertise. Over 200 loose drawings from MacPherson’s 2400-leaf ‘BOSS DROVERS’ work were framed in house by the Gallery’s Workshop team, working with the Conservation team, and packed into custom-made, heavy-duty crates for transport. For ‘Curious Affection’, the 1980s caravan featured in Piccinini’s installation work The Couple 2018 has been replaced with a tent, housing the pair lying in a loving embrace. ‘The arts community gets a bit of a boost every time an exhibition opens [at a regional gallery] and that’s really important. It’s not just the exhibition itself: it’s a talking point between the Gallery and the arts community and a celebration for regional artists and arts workers,’ says van Noordenburg. Art as Exchange takes this concept even further. After consulting with 19 regional councils and involving artists, art teachers in schools and art educators in galleries, a new workshop model was created to respond to the needs of remote and regional communities. The programs run for three days and bring arts workers from five surrounding regions to a site of historical and cultural significance, to harness the power of community and collaboration. ‘Once you meet people who . . . share your passion, then you can start to see meaningful strategies and productive networks emerge,’ says Deen. Tonya Turner is a freelance journalist. She spoke with Henri van Noordenburg and Terry Deen in September 2020. For details on our Corporate Partnership initiatives, including regional programming, please contact the Gallery’s Head of Business Development and Partnerships, Kylie Lonergan, on (07) 3840 7641, email kylie.lonergan@qagoma.qld.gov.au, or visit qagoma.qld.gov.au/support/partnerships. ART ACROSS THE STATE QAGOMA’S REGIONAL SERVICES Connecting people and art is at the heart of QAGOMA’s purpose. The Gallery’s Regional Services team are at the forefront of this promise, delivering tailored exhibitions, workshops and programs to galleries, artists and educators across Queensland, writes Tonya Turner . Opposite Terry Deen, Henri van Noordenburg, Badtjala artist Fiona Foley and Art as Exchange participants on K'gari (Fraser Island), May 2019 Above Art as Exchange participants during a ceremony welcoming them to K'gari / Photographs: Chloe Callistemon